Everyday Gardeners

Plant. Grow. Live.

Here in Iowa, it’s been a hot, dry summer. Unless we watered our gardens regularly, a lot of our plants suffered. So far, it’s turning out to be a dry autumn, too, so don’t put away the water hoses just yet.

Try to keep the soil evenly moist, like a well-wrung sponge. And, like watering in summer, it’s still best to water deeply and less frequently than to give your plants a little water every day. Additionally, it’s still helpful to prevent plant diseases by doing most of your watering before noon.

One question I hear often is: How long should you keep watering. That’s an easy one! Keep watering up until ground starts to freeze. Plant roots continue to grow and develop even after deciduous trees lose their leaves.

Watering now can do a lot to help keep your plants healthy next spring!